National Book Award Winner
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann
Summary
A panoramic novel set in New York City in August 1974, anchored by the real-life tightrope walk between the Twin Towers and radiating outward through the lives of priests, mothers, prostitutes, and artists across the boroughs. McCann braids these stories into a portrait of a battered, resilient city, using the high-wire act as a recurring image of grace under strain. It is widely read as an oblique, hopeful response to the trauma of September 11.
”
Historical Context & Significance
McCann used the 'tightrope walk' as a metaphor for a city (and a world) recovering from trauma, specifically the aftermath of 9/11.